The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was first released in 1998 on the Nintendo 64 before being remade for the Nintendo 3DS in 2011. The title followed Link as he traveled between the past and future to defeat the king of evil, Ganondorf, and restore peace to the land of Hyrule after it fell to ruin. Ocarina of Time is considered by many to be one of the best Legend of Zelda games ever released.
The Legend of Zelda series has transitioned between several art styles. Fans have seen the series range from a cell-shaded cartoon appearance to a style reminiscent of watercolor paintings. However, The Legend of Zelda franchise has never attempted a hyperrealistic art direction before but, one fan has taken some of the most terrifying creatures from Ocarina of Time and given them a realistic makeover.
A Twitter user by the name of Andres Rios created hyperrealistic 3D models for some of Ocarina of Time's most terrifying enemies. The first model is for the boss of the Shadow Temple, Bongo Bongo. Rios' model further exposes the spine of this creature while having blood drip down its hands and back. The large eye situated at the neck of the creature is gone, replaced with the base of the spine and surrounded by bloody skin flaps. The Shadow Temple, where Bongo Bongo is located, is one of the five dungeons Link explores after the time skip.
The remaining three renders include the ReDead enemies which stun Link with an ear-piercing screech and can be found in Castle Town when Ganondorf has taken over the kingdom. The Skulltula enemy can be encountered in several locations throughout Hyrule but is first fought in The Great Deku Tree and the Dead Hands, a pale white figure which Link must do battle with at the bottom of the well in Kakariko Village to obtain the Lens of Truth.
Something interesting about Rios' renders is that none of these enemies saw many changes to their designs when he adapted them. The transition into a hyperrealistic style was the only thing these creatures needed to become far more horrifying to many fans. This is a testament to how frightening the original concept for these monsters was in the original Nintendo 64 release. Some fans claim Majora's Mask is the most terrifying game in the franchise, but some argue with monsters like these that Ocarina of Time is the more scary title.
The Legend of Zelda has seen varying levels of terrifying creatures throughout its 35-year-long history. From the Guardians in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild to the monsters in the Twilight Realm of Twilight Princess, the franchise continues to craft anxiety-inducing foes behind a colorful and stylized exterior.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is available on 3DS, Nintendo 64, and Switch.
Source: Nintendo Life